Senior Hurlers 2022

Started by mcwregor, December 16, 2021, 10:06:04 PM

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mcwregor

The senior hurlers/opportunity

I am a cheddar fan. His enthusiasm and love for hurling and laois cannot be matched. After the fiasco of Eddie leaving I felt Cheddar was a good appointment. He is not another teddy Mc or Eamonn Kelly type journey man. He has put a very impressive backroom team in place with Franny Forde considered one of the best coaches around. Cheddar will have his ducks in a row and if he gets buy in he will have the team very well prepared for battle. Last year against Wexford was a shambles.  I am all for trying new things but the game was over after 15 minutes and the plan just didn't work. It looked like this was the first time they had tried this system. Surely a league match or a few practice matches would have shown the management this wasn't going to work? However, Cheddar listened to the players and changed things up. We beat Antrim and we really could have beaten Waterford who are probably the second best team in the country in my opinion. In that game we were totally outclassed in the first half and it looked like we would take another beating. Far from it though as the lads showed some character and class to battle back to lead with 5 mins to go. Cheddar and his management made a few changes that got us back into the game and they deserve credit for that. He also made a couple of big calls before the game having lost R Mullaney and L Cleere. Moving F C Fennell back on Dessie Hutchinson was an inspired move as fennel did as good a job as anyone on one of the best forwards in the country.
A great win against Antrim followed by an outstanding and impressive performance against Waterford sets us up nicely coming into 2022. Wexford and Dublin are not that good, Kilkenny are workmanlike but they haven't got the players they had before to scare you and Galway wont be bad but will be in a bit of transition. I genuinely believe that if we can get a few more to commit and get a full buy in from the panel that we could get a couple of wins, get out of the group and have a right crack at leinster. Following that what are our goals over the next two/three years? For me it should be getting to a leinster final. Imagine the hysteria that would bring to the county. Laois people showed in 2019 that they are crying out for a team to follow and I don't think a leinster is beyond us!

Non committals/regrets

This is a well flagged and massive issue in the past, currently and in the future for Laois hurling and football. I struggle to understand it. People will throw out the 'ah sure why would they bother' 'sure laois are at nothing' 'the commitment is savage'. I look at it as such an honour, it's a huge privilege in most other hurling counties. Clubs and general public in Laois don't help and many would discourage lads from going in. Its an awful shame. I appreciate it curtails their social life but most intercountry players are finished by the time they are 32. They have a good 40 years to socialise after that. They only get a few years to have a proper go at it. I really believe that the ones that haven't committed will look back with a huge amount of regret when they finish hurling. They will carry that regret for a long time. They are putting the effort in with their clubs so it's literally only another couple of months that they would do with the county anyway. I would also question why we have so many defections in laois compared to other counties. Im not talking about the likes of limerick or Kilkenny but the likes of Carlow and Offaly hurlers have very few that don't commit. Eddie Brennan commented that 22 players had not committed in 2019, that's staggering.
Im not sure if there is an answer for this but I would question if the management and in particular the co boards efforts to get lads on board and keep them on board. Everything that needs to be done should be done, im talking along the lines of helping with job opportunities(locally), college scholarships, transport to training, expenses etc. David Dooley was in with laois seniors last year until he was told he couldn't play. One of our most promising up and coming prospects was lost to rugby, could more have been done to keep him with the u20s for the year, he could have made the difference against Kilkenny. I wish him well in whatever he chooses to do in the future but hopefully we will see him in the blue and white of laois again.

Leigh Bergin, Gearoid Burke, Joe Campion, Colm Stapleton, Cathal Dunne, Aidan Corby, Mark Dowling, Robbie Phelan, Liam O Connell are just a few I'd like to see involved

Letting them live a little

Eddie Brennan was a breath of fresh air for the players when he was involved. Letting them have a few pints after the McDonagh success and after the Dublin match was well documented as a positive move and one that the players really appreciated and to be fair the were professional enough not to take the piss. For all Cheddars good traits I think he needs to rejuvenate the panel and bring a bit of a fun element into the set up. I heard of hour upon hour long meetings going over tactics sucked the life and good out of the players at times last year. You would wonder about it considering how they played against wexford.

Line Balls

Just a word on this, we gave up some very soft scores especially in the league from very poor line balls out of the backs in particular last year. Needs to be worked on

Forwards/Scoring power

Against Waterford last year if we had another forward playing well we would have won. Roddy was well held and when he was we had little support for paddy Purcell and cha. Unfortunately mark kav was and will be a loss. Outside of that we need to be getting more from our other forwards and maybe unearth a couple of new ones. Of the ones that are there, picky needs to be playing up there and not at wing back, we have plenty of wing backs and hes in the form of his life for his club in the forwards. We need to get more out of Aaron dunphy who was outstanding for B/K this year putting up big scores. Would like to see Ben Conroy get a good run in the league, see what he can do. There are some promising players from the u20 set up also but some of them may want to stay with the u20s again this year as they should have a decent outfit and its probably hard to blame them.

Personnel options
GK – Rowland, Simms, (Fleming and Dunne if interested)
Backs – Cleere, Hartnett, Conway, Fennell, Downey, P Delaney, Mullaney, McEvoy, Kelly
Midfield – Purcell, Kelly, Lennon, Fennell, Keyes
Forwards – Purcell, Cha, Picky, Roddy, Willie Dunphy, Aaron Dunphy, Collier, Lyons, Conroy, Scully, Ryan

ottoman

Do we know yet what players wont be committing for 2022? I know they're riding the crest of wave a little but to me Clough Ballacolla are currently highlighting what we have in Laois, lads with good honest attitudes and most importantly no shortage of skill!!! We actually have a genuine crop of 17 to 20 players in Laois now who are all well able to hurl which couldn't be said 10 years ago, so it would be a shame if some of those lads are not around next year...the most evident thing to me in the CB, Kilmacud game was how much better stickmen the Laois men were, just a lot tidier players! I think where we will get unstuck at the highest level these days is unfortunately down to physical size, the top 6to8 hurling teams are togging out monsters these days and its very difficult live with the physicality they bring over 70 minutes.

tippmaninlaois

Quote from: mcwregor on December 16, 2021, 10:06:04 PM
The senior hurlers/opportunity

I am a cheddar fan. His enthusiasm and love for hurling and laois cannot be matched. After the fiasco of Eddie leaving I felt Cheddar was a good appointment. He is not another teddy Mc or Eamonn Kelly type journey man. He has put a very impressive backroom team in place with Franny Forde considered one of the best coaches around. Cheddar will have his ducks in a row and if he gets buy in he will have the team very well prepared for battle. Last year against Wexford was a shambles.  I am all for trying new things but the game was over after 15 minutes and the plan just didn't work. It looked like this was the first time they had tried this system. Surely a league match or a few practice matches would have shown the management this wasn't going to work? However, Cheddar listened to the players and changed things up. We beat Antrim and we really could have beaten Waterford who are probably the second best team in the country in my opinion. In that game we were totally outclassed in the first half and it looked like we would take another beating. Far from it though as the lads showed some character and class to battle back to lead with 5 mins to go. Cheddar and his management made a few changes that got us back into the game and they deserve credit for that. He also made a couple of big calls before the game having lost R Mullaney and L Cleere. Moving F C Fennell back on Dessie Hutchinson was an inspired move as fennel did as good a job as anyone on one of the best forwards in the country.
A great win against Antrim followed by an outstanding and impressive performance against Waterford sets us up nicely coming into 2022. Wexford and Dublin are not that good, Kilkenny are workmanlike but they haven't got the players they had before to scare you and Galway wont be bad but will be in a bit of transition. I genuinely believe that if we can get a few more to commit and get a full buy in from the panel that we could get a couple of wins, get out of the group and have a right crack at leinster. Following that what are our goals over the next two/three years? For me it should be getting to a leinster final. Imagine the hysteria that would bring to the county. Laois people showed in 2019 that they are crying out for a team to follow and I don't think a leinster is beyond us!

Non committals/regrets

This is a well flagged and massive issue in the past, currently and in the future for Laois hurling and football. I struggle to understand it. People will throw out the 'ah sure why would they bother' 'sure laois are at nothing' 'the commitment is savage'. I look at it as such an honour, it's a huge privilege in most other hurling counties. Clubs and general public in Laois don't help and many would discourage lads from going in. Its an awful shame. I appreciate it curtails their social life but most intercountry players are finished by the time they are 32. They have a good 40 years to socialise after that. They only get a few years to have a proper go at it. I really believe that the ones that haven't committed will look back with a huge amount of regret when they finish hurling. They will carry that regret for a long time. They are putting the effort in with their clubs so it's literally only another couple of months that they would do with the county anyway. I would also question why we have so many defections in laois compared to other counties. Im not talking about the likes of limerick or Kilkenny but the likes of Carlow and Offaly hurlers have very few that don't commit. Eddie Brennan commented that 22 players had not committed in 2019, that's staggering.
Im not sure if there is an answer for this but I would question if the management and in particular the co boards efforts to get lads on board and keep them on board. Everything that needs to be done should be done, im talking along the lines of helping with job opportunities(locally), college scholarships, transport to training, expenses etc. David Dooley was in with laois seniors last year until he was told he couldn't play. One of our most promising up and coming prospects was lost to rugby, could more have been done to keep him with the u20s for the year, he could have made the difference against Kilkenny. I wish him well in whatever he chooses to do in the future but hopefully we will see him in the blue and white of laois again.

Leigh Bergin, Gearoid Burke, Joe Campion, Colm Stapleton, Cathal Dunne, Aidan Corby, Mark Dowling, Robbie Phelan, Liam O Connell are just a few I'd like to see involved

Letting them live a little

Eddie Brennan was a breath of fresh air for the players when he was involved. Letting them have a few pints after the McDonagh success and after the Dublin match was well documented as a positive move and one that the players really appreciated and to be fair the were professional enough not to take the piss. For all Cheddars good traits I think he needs to rejuvenate the panel and bring a bit of a fun element into the set up. I heard of hour upon hour long meetings going over tactics sucked the life and good out of the players at times last year. You would wonder about it considering how they played against wexford.

Line Balls

Just a word on this, we gave up some very soft scores especially in the league from very poor line balls out of the backs in particular last year. Needs to be worked on

Forwards/Scoring power

Against Waterford last year if we had another forward playing well we would have won. Roddy was well held and when he was we had little support for paddy Purcell and cha. Unfortunately mark kav was and will be a loss. Outside of that we need to be getting more from our other forwards and maybe unearth a couple of new ones. Of the ones that are there, picky needs to be playing up there and not at wing back, we have plenty of wing backs and hes in the form of his life for his club in the forwards. We need to get more out of Aaron dunphy who was outstanding for B/K this year putting up big scores. Would like to see Ben Conroy get a good run in the league, see what he can do. There are some promising players from the u20 set up also but some of them may want to stay with the u20s again this year as they should have a decent outfit and its probably hard to blame them.

Personnel options
GK – Rowland, Simms, (Fleming and Dunne if interested)
Backs – Cleere, Hartnett, Conway, Fennell, Downey, P Delaney, Mullaney, McEvoy, Kelly
Midfield – Purcell, Kelly, Lennon, Fennell, Keyes
Forwards – Purcell, Cha, Picky, Roddy, Willie Dunphy, Aaron Dunphy, Collier, Lyons, Conroy, Scully, Ryan

Excellent Post

Laois man

Aaron Dunphy Collier or Cleere are not going in I have being told.

Silkyskillssunshinee

Quote from: Laois man on December 17, 2021, 05:49:54 PM
Aaron Dunphy Collier or Cleere are not going in I have being told.

Dunphy and Cleere were excellent for their clubs throughout the season, big losses if true.

Ogie

Aaron Dunphy is on board,
I believe Cleere is hoping to go travelling for a few months in the new year

Laois man

Your sure Dunphy is on board?

Keyser Söze

Excellent post.
Articulated the situation around the Wexford game plan (or lack of on) very well. Made me question my faith in Cheddar big time.
There is hope.
The greatest trick the devil ever pulled.......

ottoman

I was chatting to a few CB members in Croke Park yesterday and they were under the impression that Adian Corby has yet to be called in. surly that's not right?

Zooming around

Quote from: ottoman on December 20, 2021, 02:26:23 PM
I was chatting to a few CB members in Croke Park yesterday and they were under the impression that Adian Corby has yet to be called in. surly that's not right?

Really stylish hurler, lovely striker of the ball. But he won't make it at inter county unless he learns to pass the ball.

tippmaninlaois

out against Tipp in the first round of the League in Portlaoise

Saturday the 5th of feb at 6pm

Brandon

Will mark Kavanagh be on the panel this year ? He was great the year we won mcdonagh cup

burdizzo

He's been plagued with injuries, the latest one picked up when he was just returning for R/E in this year's championship. I don't know how long he'll be out, but it must be extremely frustrating for him.

mcwregor

Looks like A Dunphy, L Cleere, C Collier, M Kavanagh.
We will only be missing one starter from the Waterford match last year which is positive but the four names above will still be big losses unfortunately.

Additions C Dunne, A Corby, J Walshe, L O Connell, M Dowling
P Purcell not training at the moment not sure what the story is there. Cha is recovering from injury so will prob miss the first few rounds of the league.

Need to get up to speed in the next few weeks with Tipp, Kilkenny and Waterford out to impress in the first three league games. Be great to be really competitive in these games.
We have competed well in Championship games vs Dublin Clare and Waterford in the championship in recent years but we need a bit more consistency of performance overall in the league too. Its not the be all and end all obviously (look at Antrim in the league last year and where they ended up)
We'll know more on Sunday

Spiritof1915

Conor Phelan and Pauric Dunne also additions from last year.
I feel Aaron Dunphy will be a hugh loss going forward, he's the one explosive forward of inter County standard needed to match the big boys on his 2020 form.
Good to see Gavin O Mahoney included. Involved with fitzgibbon and club teams for the last few years.